Instructions

ZOOM IN by clicking on the page. A slider will appear, allowing you to adjust your zoom level. Return to the original size by clicking on the page again.

MOVE the page around when zoomed in by dragging it.

ADJUST the zoom using the slider on the top right.

ZOOM OUT by clicking on the zoomed-in page.

SEARCH by entering text in the search field and click on "In This Issue" or "All Issues" to search the current issue or the archive of back issues
respectively.
.

PRINT by clicking on thumbnails to select pages, and then press the
print button.

SHARE this publication and page.

ROTATE PAGE allows you to turn pages 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise.Click on the page to return to the original orientation. To zoom in on a rotated page, return the page to its original orientation, zoom in, and
then rotate it again.

CONTENTS displays a table of sections with thumbnails and descriptions.

ALL PAGES displays thumbnails of every page in the issue. Click on
a page to jump.

4 NORTHERN OUTLOOK, JUNE 27, 2015 Farmers balk at rates burden Fears from costs of new Government water standards By CHARLIE MITCHELL A hike in water rates will have big consequences for some Hurunui farmers, who have been asked to help carry the financial burden for expensive Government drinking water standards. The Hurunui District Council approved a plan to turn localised water rates into a standard district-wide rate, meaning all users of rural water supplies in the district would pay an equal amount for the water they use. Water costs are currently shared among the members within each individual scheme. Under the changes, those on more expensive schemes would have a reduction in costs, but those on cheaper schemes would face increases. Users of the Balmoral supply have withdrawn from the council’s system entirely in response to the changes, saying cost increases would be too high for its members. Of the remaining schemes, the Amuri supply – which has 126 properties connected – face the biggest rise in costs, which has those running the scheme worried some farmers will cut loose and get their own water. The cost increases would be eased in over a 10 year period to try to prevent users from abandoning the scheme, said council support services manager Jason Beck. An Amuri Irrigation Company race near Culverden. There are fears farmers will leave the scheme as they face a heavy rates increase if they continue in it. ‘‘We’re concerned about it. Amuri Plains water committee chairman Chris Dampier-Crossley said locals were being asked to carry a big burden. We’ve got a very low-cost scheme up here . . . We’ve been very low cost, and we were concerned because a lot of the schemes weren’t going to go up as high a percentage as us,’’ he said. ‘‘It was going to make it very expensive for quite a few farmers, so the real concern is a lot of these guys can get water from wells and things, so there’s a fair chance a lot of them will leave our scheme and pump their own water.’’ The standards enforced by the Ministry of Health require the council to upgrade 13 of its 20 water supplies. The upgrade required for the Amuri scheme alone would cost $1.6 million. Leaving the council system was considered but users decided it wouldn’t be beneficial in the long run, Dampier-Crossley said. He said the global rate was the most sensible option but believed it would have an undue effect on local farmers. ‘‘It is going to be unfair for us to pay a huge amount more and schemes such as Waiau are going to get a decrease. ‘‘We’ve never had any problems; our water is good.’’ Bob Kingscote, chairman of the Waiau rural water committee, said the Government standards were ‘‘bloody terrible’’ but switching to a global rate was the fairest way to meet them. ‘‘I think the council and the mayor have the vision in the longhaul for the whole community and not just parts of it,’’ he said. Because all schemes had to upgrade in the near future it was appropriate that the load was shared. ‘‘It’s the fairest way to do it.’’ SAVE UP TO $350 www.cariboonz.co.nz 11 High Street Rangiora 033134329 OpenMon-Fri9am-5pm Sat9am-1pm 6760092AB DELAYED